11 Fast Food Chains That Use Fresh, Never Frozen Chicken

Let's face it: When it comes to fast food chicken, not all poultry is created equal. While many chains use frozen chicken to keep costs low and shelf life long, others take a fresher (and much tastier, in our opinion) approach. If your go-to fast food spot serves up chicken that is super juicy and extra crispy, there is a good chance that it was made fresh (and, thankfully, never saw the inside of a freezer).

Some chains take the fresh-versus-frozen debate so seriously that they have ditched freezers altogether. With no freezers on-site, these chains are committed to going the extra mile, prepping their chicken in-house and cooking it to-order. Sounds great, right?

And it is not just fried chicken chains leading the charge. From smaller Guatemalan chains to Tex-Mex classics, fast food joints of all kinds are stepping up their chicken game. So, which chains are putting freshness first? Here are some fast food spots that are serving up chicken that is always fresh and never frozen.

If there is one place you would hope is serving fresh chicken, it is the one with "Fried Chicken" in its name. Luckily, KFC delivers with a wide variety of chicken options — all of which are always fresh and never frozen.

Founded in 1952 by Colonel Harland Sanders, KFC is the most widespread global brand on today's list, boasting over 30,000 locations across the globe. While some of its competitors heavily advertise their use of fresh chicken, KFC takes a more subtle approach, opting not to make it a central marketing point. Still, back in 2012, then-President John Cywinski did confirm KFC's commitment to never freezing its chicken.So while you might head to your local KFC for that iconic blend of 11 spices and herbs that make KFC's fried chicken "finger lickin' good," it is likely that the use of fresh, juicy chicken also keeps customers coming back for bucket after bucket. We're drooling just thinking about it.

In the world of fast food, variety is the name of the game. Even fried chicken mega-brands like KFC offer several menu options, from nuggets and tenders to sandwiches and bone-in chicken. But Raising Cane's? The brand has found its niche, and it is sticking to it: chicken fingers.

While there is technically a chicken sandwich on the menu, it is essentially just chicken fingers stuffed inside of a bun (which you can pretty much do yourself if you order a box combo, anyway). But, otherwise, that is the whole lineup. No wings, no nuggets — just five menu items (four of which revolve entirely around chicken fingers).

And yet, customers can't seem to get enough. According to Raising Cane's itself, the chain was named the "Fastest Growing Chicken Chain" in the country — with over 900 locations worldwide. The brand's secret? High quality food. Founded in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 1996, Raising Cane's uses chicken that is fresh (never frozen) and hand battered on-site, ensuring the chicken is juicy and crispy. Paired with that iconic Cane's sauce, it is no surprise that customers are lining up for Raising Cane's. We know we are.

Shake Shack may be known for its burgers, but its menu offerings extend well beyond beef. The popular chain also offers a range of chicken options, from the Chicken Shack sandwich to Chicken Bites. Like its burgers, which are always fresh and never frozen, Shake Shack's chicken is held to the same high standard. We like to see the consistency.

Shake Shack began as a humble hot dog cart in New York City's Madison Square Park in 2001 and was originally launched to garner financial support for a public art project. But the local New York initiative has since grown into a nationwide phenomenon, with over 370 locations across the country.

Since its founding, Shake Shack has been committed to doing more than just serving good food. The brand's mission lies in its "Stand for Something Good" initiative, which focuses on sourcing fresh, high-quality ingredients that comply with animal welfare standards. And that's not all. Sticking true to its community-oriented roots, Shake Shack continues to offer its support to local communities through events, donations, and volunteer efforts. Shake Shack is just real all-around.

While customers may "loooove that chicken from Popeyes" (hopefully you just sang that in your head, too), what they really might be falling for is the freshness. Founded by Al Copeland in New Orleans in 1972, Popeyes has been whipping up Southern comfort food for over 50 years. What began as a single restaurant under an entirely different name — Chicken on the Run — quickly transformed into a fried chicken empire. Today, Popeyes operates more than 4,000 locations across the globe and remains one of the most iconic names in fast food chicken.

Popeyes is another chain on today's list that is a stickler for quality, proudly stating on the brand's website that "Quality is royalty at Popeyes." And that commitment starts with the chicken itself, which is always 100% fresh, never frozen. Before it even touches the deep fryer (which is filled with beef tallow rather than your average oil), the chicken is marinated in-house for (wait for it) 12 hours. And, yes, you read that correctly. Twelve. Whole. Hours. That kind of care paired with that crispy chicken and spicy Cajun flavor just might be the real secret behind the love for chicken from Popeyes (we just sang it again).

Unless you live in the Midwest or the South, this next chain may not be one you are too familiar with. Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken was founded in 1966 by Lee Cummings who (fun fact) just so happens to be the nephew of legendary KFC Founder Colonel Harland Sanders. Talk about a family tree, wow.

And it is not just the delicious secret fried chicken recipes that run in the family, but a commitment to fresh, quality chicken, as well. Lee's, which now boasts 135 locations, proudly advertises its use of fresh, never frozen chicken on the brand's website. Additionally, the company talks about how the workers prepare all of the chicken on-site, ensuring it is "honey dipped and hand breaded" before heading to a pressure cooker instead of a traditional deep fryer.

For the most part, Lee's menu sticks to the chicken classics, offering chicken tenders, bone-in fried chicken, and sandwiches (with either fried or BBQ-style chicken). But if you have a more adventurous (or, perhaps, classic Southern) palate, Lee's also serves livers and gizzards. Whether those are also fresh and never frozen remains a mystery. But, for most of us, and the purpose of this piece, we are just looking at the traditional chicken today.

Fried chicken chains are not the only ones featured on today's list. Chipotle is yet another fast food favorite (and, yes — we consider Chipotle to be a fast food restaurant) that has made the commitment to serving fresh chicken.

The popular Tex-Mex chain was founded in 1993 by Steve Ells in Denver, Colorado. While Chipotle is a household name today, it had pretty humble beginnings. Ells initially launched Chipotle as a way to raise money to finance his real dream of opening a fine-dining restaurant. But the small burrito shop took off, and the rest was history. Today, Chipotle has developed into a global brand with nearly 3,800 locations worldwide.

While the burritos and the bowls may keep customers coming back, it is the quality of the ingredients inside that really sets Chipotle apart. The chain proudly states that locations do not have freezers on-site, meaning that none of the food — including the chicken — is ever frozen. All of the chicken is fresh and sourced from animals raised without hormones or antibiotics. In addition to Chipotle's belief in animal welfare, the chain emphasizes its belief in environmental care, as well. Fresh chicken with a side of chips, guac, and good ethics? We will take it.

While this chain may be unfamiliar to fast food lovers on the East Coast, El Pollo Loco has built an impressive presence with over 475 locations across the United States. The chain was founded in 1975 in Guasave, Sinaloa, Mexico by Pancho Ochoa. Just five years later, El Pollo Loco made its way to the United States, opening its first location in Los Angeles, California. The chain now has a whopping 395 locations in the Golden State alone with additional locations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Louisiana, Nevada, Texas, and Utah.

Due to its LA roots, the chain proudly embraces what it calls "L.A. Mex," — a unique culinary fusion of the decadence of traditional Mexican flavors with the health-forward approach of Southern California cuisine. At the heart of El Pollo Loco's menu is fresh, fire-grilled chicken. The chicken appears in a variety of dishes, from tostadas to burritos to tacos to bowls to combo meals with bone-in chicken as the star of the show. And it is not just the chicken that is fresh. With homemade salsas and freshly sliced avocados, even the chain's toppings are next level. Processed guac? El Pollo Loco's never heard of her. It's all fresh, all the time here.

Like El Pollo Loco, Pollo Campero is another chicken chain with international origins. The brand was founded in 1971 in Guatemala before expanding to the United States. Today, it has 400 locations, with over 100 locations across 21 U.S. states.

Pollo Campero prides itself on serving fresh, hand-breaded fried chicken with bold Latin flavors that are "marinated to the bone," notes the brand's website. The chain's dedication to fresh ingredients shows up across the board, with the chain advertising salads, drinks, and sides that are prepared daily.

While crispy bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks are Pollo Campero's main attraction, the chain offers many ways to jazz things up, including chicken sandwiches, chicken nuggets, empanadas, and campero bowls. Although the chicken is marinated before arriving at each location, it is still prepared fresh to order — ensuring that every piece of chicken is not only high quality, but packed with Latin flavor. Yum.

Chipotle is not the only Tex-Mex chain on today's list that is committed to freshness. Moe's Southwest Grill, which was founded in Atlanta, Georgia in 2000, also takes pride in serving chicken that is fresh, never frozen, and free of steroids and cages. With currently more than 560 restaurants across 35 states, Moe's has a no-freezer and no-microwave policy in all of its locations, reinforcing its commitment to serving fresh food.

Like its more popular competitor, Chipotle, Moe's also offers customers a build-your-own-style lineup of burritos, bowls, quesadillas, and tacos. Moe's claims that all of its ingredients are prepared fresh daily and are sourced for both quality and animal welfare. And that goes for all of Moe's meats as the pork is grain-fed and the beef is grass-fed. Even the guacamole is made fresh on-site daily, which we always appreciate from a Tex-Mex spot.

And Moe's is not taking the nonchalant approach when it comes to letting the world know about its fresh ingredients. The brand released a June 2024 advertisement on Facebook about the bold flavors stating, "Fresh, never frozen, ingredients just sizzle different." And that is a promise the company certainly seems to deliver on. Keep doing you, Moe's.

Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken may not have the widespread recognition of fast food giants like KFC or Popeyes, but what it lacks in scale, it more than makes up for in flavor and quality. With just 40 locations across 14 states, this chain has stayed true to its Southern roots. It all began in 1953 in Mason, Tennessee when Napoleon "Na" and Maggie Vanderbilt began selling their signature fried chicken to their local community. The chicken was such a hit that, when the couple faced financial struggles, loyal customers rallied around them to keep their doors open.

But the name that many know and love today came about later. After Na and Maggie passed away in the early 1980s, their son, Vernon "Gus" Bonner, took over. He rebranded it as Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken, and the rest was history.

Gus's specializes in spicy fried chicken with a Southern-flair that is fresh, hand-battered, and made to order. The chain also makes all of its sides in-house, adding to the charm. While Gus's may not have the global impact of its larger competitors, it proves that quality always wins over quantity, with many outlets and people praising the quality of the chicken and the service. So if you are craving some of the best fried chicken around (seriously), it might be time to book a flight to Tennessee. Or, hopefully, our fingers are crossed that the brand is considering expanding some more locations soon so we can all have a taste of that legendary fresh chicken.

Bojangles may not be a household name yet, but with over 800 locations across 17 US states, it is certainly making its mark. Founded in Charlotte, North Carolina by Jack Fulk and Richard Thomas in 1977, Bojangles is known for its Cajun-flavored Southern comfort food.

And fried chicken is certainly the star of the show. Whether you are craving a chicken sandwich, tenders, or a classic box of bone-in chicken, Bojangles serves up fried chicken that is always fresh, never frozen. Each piece is hand-breaded and cooked to perfection, striking the perfect balance of crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.

But it is not the chicken that has loyal fans coming back for more. Bojangles' biscuits are equally legendary in their own right — so much so that they have their own section of the menu (we love to see it). These buttery, golden-brown biscuits, which are made from scratch, serve as the perfect base for breakfast sandwiches filled with bacon, eggs, and cheese, or even a piece of that crispy and flavorful fresh fried chicken. With a variety of fresh ingredients and bold Cajun flavor, it is safe to say Bojangles is doing everything right when it comes to Southern comfort food.